NEWSROOM

The decision by the Trump Administration to end the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) program is cruel and unjust. Mercy High School, San Francisco joins with the US Bishops and the Sisters of Mercy in condemning this decision as a “violation of the human dignity of over 800,000 young people, while diminishing us all as a nation.”

This action impacts many in our Mercy High School, San Francisco community and we stand in solidarity with all our immigrant brothers and sisters locally and across the country. Immigration is one of the five Critical Concerns of the Sisters of Mercy, and now is the time for us to lead with our Catholic values and stand with those who are most vulnerable by advocating for their protection.

As Jesus states in the Gospel of Matthew 25:35, “I was a stranger and you welcomed me.” We must welcome these children as Jesus himself. The United States represents freedom and safe haven as they escape dangerous and often deadly situations in their home countries. The families who bring them here do so at great cost and out of love for their children. We urge our national leadership, especially Congress, to defend DACA and engage this issue with moral clarity and respect. The people affected by this decision are not “illegal aliens” they are human beings, beloved children of God, and our neighbors.

In a statement yesterday, the Sister of Mercy reinforced their commitment and long-standing history of working closely with partners around the United States to support immigrants. “Our Catholic faith calls us to "welcome the stranger" and ensure a dignified life for all God’s people. We join others in the faith community to stand in solidarity with DACA recipients and add our voice in strong resistance to the immoral ending of this program, as well as the Administration’s threats to end Temporary Protected Status (TPS) for other immigrant communities,” according to the statement. (Read Full Statement Here)

Mercy students are already engaging in spiritual, intellectual, and moral reflection on this issue. Even more importantly, as the Social Advocacy Based Learning Catholic school of the Bay Area, our students are challenged to translate the fruits of those reflections into action.

As a Catholic school, sponsored by the Sisters of Mercy, Mercy High School, San Francisco stands with our fellow human beings who are immigrants and refugees, no matter their religious identity. Let us not hesitate to value their humanity over their legal status or the demands of the Gospel of Jesus over the presumption of wrongdoing. Every member of our community must know they are safe and protected. Those who are in our larger community of San Francisco and the Bay Area should not be afraid. You have an ally in Mercy SF. We see you. We hear you. We are with you. You are not alone.